Adoption was nearly impossible when Lauren was younger because her biological dad had visitation rights, but Hernandez said she started looking into adult adoption just months before Lauren's 18th birthday in April.

She told InsideEdition.com that since her daughter was a year old, Iosco has been playing father to her daughter—which meant even more to Lauren since he didn't have to.

"When you have kids of your own, you automatically love them. He wasn't there for Lauren's birth, but he's loved her the same way he loves our little girls," Hernandez said. "He chose to stay. He chose to stick around."